Moistureproof packaging



April 13., 1948. R. R. RICHARDSON Erm. r2,439,435

uoIsTURE-Pnoor PACKAGING April 13, 1948. R. R. mcHARDsoN EjrAL 2,439,435 i MOISTURE-PROOF PACKAGING Filed July 7, `1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. 13, 1948 MOISTUREPROOF PACKAGING Ralph R. Richardson, Chicago, Walter T. Ritter, River Forest, and Robert 0. Ragan, Oak Park, Ill., assignors to Chicago Carton Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation o! Delaware Application July 7, 1944, Serial No. 543,826

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-37) This invention relates to the art of packaging'y and the main object of the invention is to provide a water and moisture-vapor-proof paper board package which will effectively resist penetration by water and vapor, even though the package is immersed in water for a considerably extendedV period, and Which will resist penetration by moisture-vapor, even though'the package is stored for an extended period in an extremely humid atmosphere.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a 2 `Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section corresponding to Fig. 11, but showing the condition of the container in a more advanced state of the closing ope-rations.

Y Fig. 14 is a plan of the structure in condition, shown in Fig. 13.

' Fig. 15 is a section corresponding to Figs. 11 and 13, but showing the nnauy folded and closed conv`dition of the container, and showing the entire package having the foregoing characteristics, and

which will retain the same notwithstanding extreme variations in temperature and other weather conditions; to provide a package which will be strong and durable so as to be capable of withstanding a substantial amount of rough handling; and to provide a package having the qualities indicated, which may be produced from readily -available materials, and economically, at low cost.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specication and accompanying drawings 2 sheets) wherein there is disclosed the construction of a containenfand the method of closing the same, for producing a package having the foregoing characteristics.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan of a blank from which one of the improved containers may be made.

Fig. 2 is a perspective illustrating a tubular container body formed from the blank shown in Fig. 1. l

Fig.. 3 is a section on line 3*3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective .illustrating .a partially closed condition of one end of the container.

package structure. "Fig, 16 is a section on line lli- I6 of Figl 15. Fig. 17 is a perspective illustrating the completed package closed in the manner illustrated Fig. 5 is a perspective illustrating the closure element which is employed in some instances in closing the ends of the carton.

Fig. 6 is a perspective showing one end closed but not sealed, certain parts being broken away to reveal other parts.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 1--7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section corresponding to a portion of Fig, 7 but on an enlarged scale, and showing how the end closure is finally sealed.

Fig. 9 is a perspective illustrating the completed package formed and sealed in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8`inclusive.'

Fig. 10 is a perspective corresponding to Fig. 4 but showing the initial steps in closing the package in a modied manner.

Fig. 11 is a section on line lI-ll of Fig. 10 with an insert element shown in space Fig. 12 is a perspectiveV of the insert element.

in Figs. 10 to 16 inclusive, and

Fig. 18 is a perspective illustrating the manner of assembling two packages respectively formed in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 to 17 inclusive, for the attainment of certain advantages which will hereinafter be pointed out.

Inasmuch as the'package which it is desired to construct is to be water and moisture-vapor-proof, the paper 'board employed should be of a water and moisture-vapor-proof type. Certain' boards already available are supposed to embody those qualities, and it will be understood that any suitable water and moisture-vapor-proof board now or hereafter available may be employed in producing, closing and sealing cartons and packages,

in accordance with the present invention. Thedetails of the water and vapor-proong of the paper board are, therefore, not herein set forth since they may vary considerably. We would prefer, however, at the present time, to employ -a laminated paperboard embodying two or three, and possibly a different number of plies of paper, in which lan outer ply is effectively waterproofed, and in which board adequate provision is made for also providing moisture-vapor-proofness, and the required body or strength, to enable the carton to withstand the use and handling to which it may be subjected.

The container blank illustrated in Fig. 1 is a simple rectangular blank provided with creases or fold lines which divide the blank into side wall forming panel sections 20, 2l, 22 and 23, a glue flap 24 at one side, and, at the top and bottom ends of each of the side wall forming panels, with end closure panels 25, 26, 21 and 28, As shown, the end closure panels 26 and 28 are provided with additional fold lines which divide the end section 26 into triangular panels 30, 3| and 32, and the end section 28 to triangular panels 33, 34 .and 35.

The glue flap 24 extends continuously across the entire width of the carton blank so that portions 2 9 0f the glue flap will appear in th'e end closure of the container. The fold lines are represented by broken lines in the drawings and they are preferably formed by means of smooth, continuous-edge rules, as distinguished from sharp, or cutting edge rules. Hence there are no slits or perforations in the blank which create problems of leakage.

The end closure panels 25 to 28 inclusive are of like construction at each end of the container so that the following explanation will generally be directed to the closure of the carton at one end. It will, of course, be understood-that the other endl may be closed in the same manner.

The blank shown in Fig. 1 is first formed into a tubular body by bending the blank on the fold line 36 so as to cause the free edge 31 of the blank 1 to register with the fold line 38. The glue flap 24, including its end sections 29, is then folded into overlapping relation to the outside of the side wall panel 26 and secured thereto by suitable adhesive. These operations may be performed on conventional box-making machinery, which is speedy, and low in cost of operation.

The folded blank with its lsides united in the manner just explained is then distended into tubular body form as shown in Fig. 2, and it may be placed on a suitable mandrel, a portion of which is indicated at 39 in Fig. 4. The mandrel 39 may be a continuously propelled mandrel, and the carton closing operations about to be described may be .performed either automatically or manually while the mandrel moves continuously, or during rest periods if the mandrel is moved intermittently. The mandrel may be provided with suitable means for engagement by the lower end of the tubulai body structure so as to position the body on the mandrel with its horizontal upper end fold line 40 approximately registering with the upper end of the mandrel, which should be substantially flat so as to be capable of supporting inwardly turned closure portions in the desired end closure position.4

For purposes which will presently appear, it is preferred that a panel 4| be placed within the end of the tubular body, and on they supporting end of the mandrel. Said panel 4| may be of any suitable paper board, and it should preferably embody a fair degree of stiffness. In order that said panel 4| will remain in fixed position, it is preferably of such size that it will approximately fit the interior of the tubular body which, as herein shown, is of rectangular form. l

After the panel 4| is4 inserted, the upstanding end closure panels' 25, 26, 21 and. 28 are folded inwardly. This is accomplished by` folding the triangular portions 32 and 35 of the opposed panels 26 and 28 inwardly, and at the same time folding inwardly the other opposed pair of panels 25 and 21. When the sections are thus substantially Simultaneously folded inwardly, the trianguiar corner panels 30, 3|, 33 and 34 will be refolded outwardly into overlying relation to the triangular panels 32 and 35 respectively. Conthe spaced edges of the refolded panels 30 and 3|, to form channels whichl are adapted to be provided with a suitable sealing composition whereby the package is, in effect, hermetically sealed. It may be observed that the diagonal fold lines which define the triangular panel portions of the end sections 26 and 28 are so formed in the said end sections, that the edge portions, such as edge portions 44 and 45 respectively of the panels 30 and 3| (Fig. 6) will assume approximately the same spaced relationship as the free edges 42 and 43 of the end sections 25 and 21.

The insert panel 4| provides a bottom for the channel 'intermediate the adjacent ends of the inturned triangular panels 32 and y35. In some instances, it may be desirable to provide a blob 46 of suitable adhesive sealing composition to the panel 4| so that the pointed ends of the triangular inturned panels will be more or less embedded therein. The blob of material 46 then serves to provide a bottom for the overlying portion of the channel, approximately in the plane of the bottom provided by the triangular panels 32 and 35.

The package thus formed presents only two openings, namely, the openings or channels on its opposite ends which appear between the adjacent edges 42 and 43 of the inturned outermost flaps 25 and 21. The said openings may be reduced to a minimum by so proportioning the flaps that their fre-e edges will substantially engage each other, but it is preferred that they be so proportioned that a definite space of about 11g" to eas" will'remain between said edges.

'I'he openings (such as indicated at 41 in Fig. 7) are sealed by filling the same as shown at 48 (Fig. 8) with a suitable moisture-proof sealing compound, such asbituminous wax. Sufficient 'sealing material is deposited in each of the channels or openings 'to overflow the same, as illustrated, thereby to insure effective sealing of the raw or out edges of the paper board. Bituminous wax is a very tacky and adhesive material, which has the property of remaining pliable throughout a wide range of atmospheric conditions, and tem-Y peratures, so that once the package is sealed, there is no substantial likelihood that any leak can be produced in the joints incident to distortion of the package from any cause.

The tacky bituminous wax fill of the channels 41 is next covered by means of a strip of tape, preferably a waterproof tape 49 (Fig. 9) which should be secured to the walls of the container by means of moisture-proof adhesive of any suitable kind. The tape strips 49, extending across I .each end of the container haVe end portions such as shown at 50, adhesively secured to the contiguous walls of the package so that the tape strips serve to hold the end closure flaps in their closed position. Separate tape strips may be used on each end -of the package, or if desired, a

tinued inward folding of the sections 25, 26, 21 i and 28 will bring them into inwardly extending coplanar relation, as shown in Fig. y6, in which they constitute a flat end closure for the container body.

The end closure sections 25, 26, 21 and 28 are so proportioned that when they are folded inwardly to the end closure forming condition shown in Fig. 6, their respective 'inner ends are disposed in predetermined spaced relation. It will be seen that the spaced end edges 42 and 43 of the end sections 25 and 21 respectively, cooperate with single tape strip may be drawn around the entire girth of the package.

When forming the tubular body, the glue flap 24 is preferably adhesively united to the adjacent marginal portion of the side wall 20 by means of vpanels 25 and 21.

element 4| resists' such inward movement of thetriangular panels, if there is adequate support for into the interior o1' the container, is effectivelyl eliminated.

In forming the package structure illustrated in Figs. 1 tp 9 inclusive, one end may be advantageously closed while the container is'supported by the mandrel 39. The end of the mandrel provides adequate backing for the application of pressure in folding the end flaps to their closed position and for supporting the end portion of thecarton when the sealing tape 49 is applied. When the container is removed from the mandrel for iilling purposes, the insert member 4I will be held in place by the blob of adhesive material 4B, if employed. If such a blob is not employed and it is desired to avoid the possible necessity of handling a loose inseri'I 4I, suitable patches of adhesive may be applied to the outerA surface of the insert 4i for adhesively'securing the same to adjacent faces of any of the inturned portions 25, 32, 21 or 35.

After one end of the container is sealed in the manner above explained, the container is removed from the mandrel and lled through the other end. If the container is used for the packaging of material which will supply .internal suD- .425

the panel from the package content. However, in some instances, it may be found inadvisable to rely on the package content for such inside support. In such instances, the closing method shown in Figs. l0 to`17 may be employed on both ends of the package, or on the filling end in combination with the above described method on the other end.

As shown in Figs. to 17, the triangular panel sections 32 and 35, instead of being folded inwardly, are folded outwardly, the end sections and 21 being folded inwardly as before. An insert element 53, with end portions pointed tov approximately t triangular panels 32 and 35 is inserted as shown in Fig. 11, so that the inturned end sections 25 and 21 will overlie the said insert. The triangular corner panels 30, 3l, 33 and 34 will, of course, be folded into overlying relation to the pointed end portions of the insert. VIf desired, the central portion of the insert 53 may be adhesively united to the inturned end sections 25 and 21.

When the end sections 25 and 21 are folded inwardly to their closure forming positions, the triangular end panels 32 and 35 will extend horizontally outwardly in continuation of the plane of the end closure, and they are then folded down.` wardly into facetoface contact with the oppo` site sides of the container, as indicated in Fig. l5. The container with one end thus closed, may then be removed from the mandrel and filled side walls to facilitate folding of the triangular end s to their closed position as illustrated. The

end closures of the package may be held by suit@ able means` in closed position while fllls of sealing material (such as shown at 48 in Fig. 8) are applied tothe channels formed, as shown in Fig. 14, between the end sections 25 and 241 and between the triangular Vpanelpair 30 `and 3|, and the pair 33 and 34. The sealing fill is, of course,

supplied while the end closures are held in their closed position, as shown in Fig. 15, after which a covering tape 54 of suitable character may be applied to the package to cover the tacky sealing material. Such tape strip 54 serves also to hold the end closures in their closed position, and

makes unnecessary the use of any adhesive be-` tween the downturned triangular end' portions of the closures, and the underlying wall portions of the container. Such adhesive may. however, be employed, if desired.

Where a particularly sturdy package is required, and where extreme-water and vapor-proofness is required, a container formed as shown in Figs. 10 to 17 inclusive may be kplaced within a container formed as shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive.

` In that arrangement, the inner package will, of

course, provide the required inside support to facilitate closing of the open end of the outer container. As shownin Fig. 18, the inner package would preferably be inserted in the o-uter container in such a manner that one of the smooth sides of the inner package would provide the surface against which'the end closure of the outer containerwould be formed.

For applying the sealing composition to the channels, various mechanisms may be employed, and it may also be found practicable to first apply a fairly heavy strip of the required sealing material to a tape strip in such ii position that when the tape strip is applied to the package, the

sealing composition thereon would be forced into the sealing channels of the package.

The sealed package described, when made of a volume, high speed basis, either with or without with the desired material, after which the oppoautomatic machinery for carrying out some or all of the required operations.

The described structure is both water and moisture-vapor-proof butv it should be observed that the container may be made of such materials that it will be either Wateror moisture-proof but not necessarily both. Therefore, in the appended claims, the terms water-proof, moisture-proof and any like terms are intended to refer to the characteristic of proofness againstwater or moisture vapor in any form and to proofness against either or both of these forms of moisture.

The appended claims are directed not only to the specific structure shown and described but` also `to various modified arrangements which employ the principles of the described invention.

We claim: 1.` A package comprising a moistureproof paper board rectangular tubular side wall structure, and an end closure embodying an insert element extendingsubstanti-ally across 4an end of' the tuihular structure, endportions of one pair of relatively opposed side walls being folded inwardly over said element substantially into face-to-face contact therewith and adhesively secured thereto, end portions of the other pair of side walls being folded outwardly andhaving portions thereof refolded upon themselves in continuation of the inward folding of said end portions of the first.

pair of side walls, said insert element having end portions extending between the said outwardly extending and refolded end portions, said last mentioned end portions and said insert end extensions being also folded downwardly substantially into face-to-facel contact with the outside of said other pair of side walls, said inwardly folded and refolded portions having their free ends spaced from each other so as to cooperate with said insert element to form a channel extending continuously across the end of the box and Vdownwardly substantially to the ends of said downwardly folded portions, and a filler of waterinsoluble adhesive material in said channel. Y

2. A package comprising a moistureproot paper board rectangular tubular side wall structure, and an end closure embodying an insert element extending substantially across an end of the tubular structure, end portions of one pair of relatively opposed side walls being folded inwardly over said element substantially into face-to-face contact therewith Iand adhesively secured thereto, end portions of the other pair of side walls being folded outwardly and having portions thereof refolded upon themselves in continuation of the inwardfolding of said end portions of the first pair of side walls, said insert element having end portions extending between the said outwardly extending and refolded end portions, said last mentioned end portions and said insert end exten- 8 sions being also folded downwardly substantially into face-to-face contact with the outside of said other pair of side walls, said inwardly folded and refolded portions having their free ends spaced from each other so as to cooperate with said insert element to form a channel extending continuously across the end of thebox and downwardly substantially to the ends of said downwardly folded portions, a. ller of water-insoluble adhesive material in said channel, and a tape strip applied to the package in overlying relation tosaid iiller channel and adhesiv'ely secured to the margins of the package onI opposite sides of said channel.

RALPH R, RICHARDSQN. WALTER T. RITTER. ROBERT O. RAGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references arev of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES' PATENTS v Date 

